The glycemic index of pinto beans is about 39. Pinto bean is a low GI food, which means that it has a minimal effect on blood sugar levels.
1. What is the glycemic index (GI)?
The glycemic index (GI) is a value used to measure how much specific foods increase blood sugar levels.
Foods are classified as low, medium, or high glycemic foods and ranked on a scale of 0–100.
The lower the GI of a specific food, the less it may affect your blood sugar levels. Here are the three GI ratings:
Low: 55 or less
Medium: 56–69
High: 70 or above
Foods high in refined carbs and sugar are digested more quickly and often have a high GI, while foods high in protein, fat, or fiber typically have a low GI. Foods that contain no carbs are not assigned a GI and include meat, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and oils.
Several factors influence the glycemic index of a food, including its nutrient composition, cooking method, ripeness, and the amount of processing it has undergone.
The glycemic index can not only help increase your awareness of what you’re putting on your plate but also enhance weight loss, decrease your blood sugar levels, and reduce your cholesterol.
Keep in mind that the glycemic index is different from the glycemic load (GL).
Unlike the GI, which doesn’t take into account the amount of food eaten, the GL factors in the number of carbs in a serving of a food to determine how it may affect blood sugar levels.
For this reason, it’s important to take both the glycemic index and glycemic load into consideration when selecting foods to help support healthy blood sugar levels.
2. Pinto bean glycemic index
Where a carbohydrate food falls on the glycemic index indicates how much it will raise your blood sugar. This is particularly important if you have diabetes, as your body’s ability to manage the amount of sugar in your blood is impaired. Although carbohydrate counting is a more effective way to plan meals and manage your glucose levels, the glycemic index can help you fine-tune your carb intake, reports the American Diabetes Association.
If a food has a low GI – less than 55 — it will affect your blood sugar less than a medium or high food will.
Pinto beans have a glycemic index (GI) of about 39; foods with a GI of 55 or below are considered low glycemic foods. The glycemic load (GL) of 150 grams (3/4 cup) of pinto beans is just 10.
Glycemic load takes the serving size of the food into account when estimating the food’s effect on blood sugar. A glycemic load of less than 10 is thought to have little effect on blood glucose response.
3. Health benefits of Pinto beans
Helps Prevent Obesity
An evaluation of the nutritional value of legumes published in Obesity Reviews determined that replacing energy-dense foods with legumes has been shown to have beneficial effects on the prevention and management of obesity and related disorders, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome.
Lowers Risk of Death From Cardiovascular Disease
In one study that looked specifically at cardiovascular disease, people who consumed more flavonoids (a type of antioxidant found in pinto beans and other beans, fruits, and vegetables) had less risk of death from cardiovascular disease. This was true even in people whose intake of flavonoids was relatively small.
Reduced Risk of Cancer
Some studies have shown that beans act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. These effects could reduce the risk of cancer.
Research published in 2015 analyzed whether beans might have antioxidant properties that fight intestinal cancer. The results suggested that black beans had the highest antioxidant activity.
A 2016 study also found that chemicals in Northeast China black beans could slow the growth of colorectal cancer by preventing cancer cells from multiplying.
Read more: Pinto beans nutrition facts and health benefits you should know